This invention relates to an apparatus for aiming a weapon of a combat vehicle at a target and is of the type that includes an array of fixedly mounted angled mirrors by means of which target observation is performed.
Particularly in combat vehicles in which no sufficient space is available for a relatively large weapon turret, the gunner is spatially separated from the weapon turret and does not turn therewith during an aiming motion of the weapon. In order to make nevertheless possible an aiming of the weapon at the target, on the weapon or the weapon platform a camera is conventionally installed. An observation of the target area and an orientation of the weapon towards the target are performed based on the image obtained by the camera.
The above-outlined conventional arrangement is disadvantageous in that for observing the environment, the weapon platform has to be continuously rotated together with the weapon.
It has further been proposed to provide a periscope for performing observation and, after target identification, the positional data of the periscope optics are utilized by the electronic weapon control system for positioning the weapon by means of appropriate setting drives. Such arrangements are disadvantageous in that they are relatively expensive and further, the periscope has a substantial spatial requirement which is frequently not available. Also, apparatus of this type are error-prone to a relatively high degree.
It is further known to provide rigidly mounted sighting devices, such as angled mirrors arranged in an arcuate (circular) array. After target recognition, the weapon is oriented generally in the direction of the target by means of a tilting sight. Such a device, while it is robust and inexpensive to manufacture, has the disadvantage that, as a rule, several trial shots have to be fired towards the target because an exact aiming is not possible without additional sighting devices.
Although it is feasible to use, in addition to the array of angled mirrors, a camera with an image screen, in such an arrangement an aiming of the weapon with the aid of the camera is performed only after identifying the target through the angled mirrors. Such a solution is disadvantageous in that the direction of the gunner's line of vision to the monitor is, as a rule, different from the direction of the line of vision to the target through the angled mirror. As a result, the gunner loses the spatial relationship between line of vision and target. Also, the gunner briefly loses a visual contact with the target. In addition, an occasional sudden reversion of the gunner's sight to the angled mirror may be coupled with a loss of target and orientation.